Nuclear meltdown in Ukraine? Zelenskyy warns of 'emergency situation' at Zaporizhzhia plant
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Nuclear meltdown in Ukraine? Zelenskyy warns of 'emergency situation' at Zaporizhzhia plant")
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
Zelenskyy said that the plant has been cut off from the power line, which is essential to cool down the reactors and keep a nuclear accident from happening.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during his Tuesday (Sep 30) address, has warned of a potential nuclear meltdown at the Zaporizhzhia plant - Europe's largest - which is currently under Russian authority. Zelensky stated that the plant has been cut off from the power line, which is essential for cooling the reactors and preventing a nuclear accident. As of now, the plant is operating on diesel-powered generators, which are preventing the reactor from melting and potentially creating a catastrophe for the already war-torn region.
Zelensky warns against nuclear meltdown at Zaporizhzhia plant
“This is the seventh day. There has never before been such an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant. The situation is critical. Russian shelling has cut the plant off from the electricity network,” Zelensky said in his address. "This is a threat to everyone. No terrorist in the world has ever dared to do with a nuclear power plant what Russia is doing now. And it is right that the world not remain silent.”
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has confirmed that there's no imminent danger but the current situation in not sustainable.
“While the plant is currently coping thanks to its emergency diesel generators – the last line of defence – and there is no immediate danger as long as they keep working, it is clearly not a sustainable situation in terms of nuclear safety,” said Grossi in a statement issued on Tuesday (Sep 30).
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Where is Zaporizhzhia plant and why is it in danger of meltdown?
Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is situated near the Ukrainian city of Enerhodar along the Dnipro river - an area close to front lines. It was seized by Russia in the early weeks of their Ukraine action in 2022. The plant - the largest in Europe - currently produces no electricity but needs power to make sure the fuel in the reactors remains cool. It has been cut off from the power grid multiple times during the ongoing conflict but remains stable with the usage of diesel-powered generators.
